Hikikomori in Japan

Japanese society is a paradox that puzzles outside scholars and observers. The nation is the third largest economic power with some of the lowest crime rates and highest literacy in the world. On the other hand, the country is known for its high suicide rate, school bullying, and in recent years, significant population decline.

In the economic crisis of the 1990s, a new social problem emerged in Japan. That phenomenon is known as “hikikomori.”